Umbrella latch device



INVENTORS Hm WJ am RU EO HL ATTORN Y H. HACKEN ET AL UMBRELLA LATCH DEVIQE Filed Oct. 20, 1947 W of@ Sept. 11, 1951 10, mii.,

Patented Sept. 195i UMBRELLA LATCH DEVICE Herbert Hacken and Louis J. Levin, Rockville Centre, N. Y.

Application October 20, 1947, Serial No. 780,790 z claims. (ol. 13s-41) This invention relates to devices for retaining an umbrella in open and closed position, and particularly in a unit device mounted upon the shaft or rod of the umbrella and operatively engaging the same to retain the umbrella in open and closed positions. The novel lfeatures of the invention will be best understood from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed, and in which the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views; and in which:

Fig. 1 a longitudinal sectional view through a device mounted upon the umbrella rod, showing parts of the umbrella in a partially open postion; and

2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. l, with parts omitted.

In the drawing, shown at. 5, is the stick, shaft or rodv of an umbrella and in Fig. 1, is shown at I two of the brace rods of the umbrella ribs, the remainder of the umbrella being omitted, as it is all well known in the art. At 'I' is shown the unit latching, clamping or locking device for retaining the umbrella in the open and closed positions in the accompanying drawing, the parts are shown, for sake of clarity,

in what might be termed an intermediate position or the position assumed in the operation of moving the umbrella from the closed to the open position and` about to reach the limit of the open position.

'I 'he unit device 'I comprises a central body portion 8 having an outwardly flared collar 9 forming a finger grip portion. Above the iin.- ger grip portionis an anuular recess I0 in which` is secured the usual rod supporting ring I I, commonly employed in umbrellas and to which the brace rods I5 are pivotally coupled in the circumferentially spaced sockets I2 thereof through the medium of a wire I3. Above the ring I I, the part- 8v has a sleeve portion I4 in which is slidably mounted a short tubular plunger part I5 within whichy is arranged a coil spring I6. One end Il of the spring I6 extends through an aperture in the part I5 and the other end I8 extends through the sleeve I4, this holds the parts in assembled relationship while at the same time permitting inward or downward movement of the plunger part I5 in the operation of the device,Y as later described.

The part. 8v below the collar 9 has two bevelled or conical surfaces` I9 and 20 which can be termed upper and lower surfaces, the surfaces being joined by an enlarged intermediate portion. vThe lower end of the part 8 terminates in an out.r wardly extending annular flange as at 22. This` flange operates in the recess or channel 23 of a gripper part 24. The gripper part comprises aninner tubular portion 25 and an outer tubular portion 26, the latter terminating at its upper end in an outwardly flared collar 21, similar to the collar 9 and forms a ngerpiece facilitating operation of the device. The walls 25 and 26 are joined at their lower end by a bottom wall 28 upon which seats a coil spring 29, the upper end ofY the spring seating upon the flange 22. The inner wall 25 termina-tes at its upper end in a pluralityl of circumferentially spaced gripper fingers 3l! having at their free ends outer rounded surfaces. as at 3I.- These surfaces are adapted to move over the bevelled surfaces I9 and 20 in forcing the grippers 3S inwardly to firmly grip the stick or shaft 5. The upper end portion of the stick or shaft 5 has an outwardly projecting stop pin 32 which is adapted to be engaged by the plunger part I5 as the device is moved upwardly on the shaft preparatory to moving the grippers 30 i into operative position.

In the aforesaid. operation, the part 24 is engaged by the fingers of the hand in sliding thev device upwardly and longitudinally of the shaft and on completing the upward movement, theplunger part I5 strikes the pin 32, thus compressing the spring I6 sufficiently to apply downwardA pressure to the member or part 8 with the fingers of the hand engaging the gripper 24. It willbe apparent that the spring 29 will be compressed, being of lighter tension than the compressed spring I6 and the gripper fingers 30 arey then moved upwardly into engagement with the bevelled surface I9 and forced into firm operative engagement with the shaft or stick 5.

The rib bracing rods 6 are also tensioned and exert a downward pressure on the part 8. It will thus be ,apparent that the` umbrella is then rmly locked in its open position. To close the umbrella, the ngers of the hand are placed with the part v8 beneath the collar 9. and the collar 9 is pushed upwardly against theY action of the spring I6. This then releases ther gripper fingers 30, the spring 29 moving the gripper part 24 downwardly to the neutral position`- shown in Fig. l, whereupon the device can be freely moved longitudinally of the shaft and in reaching the closed position the spring 29 is of sufficient tension to move the ngers 30 downwardly into engagement with the bevelled surface 20 to again move the fingers 30 inwardly 3 to grip the shaft, thus holding the umbrella in closed position.

It will appear that the complete device comprises a preassembled unit which as such, can be mounted upon the shaft of the umbrella and thereupon, the brace rods B of the umbrella rib are attached. It will also be understood that a structure of this type and kind dispenses with the mounting of clasp or other latch members upon the shaft of the umbrella and the labor essential to form the shaft for reception of such devices and the attachment of the devices thereto. It will, therefore, be apparent that the cost of producing the complete umbrella is materially simplified.

Having fully described our invention, what We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for retaining an umbrella in open and closed positions, said device comprising a tubular unit mounted for sliding movement longitudinally of the umbrella rod, said unit comprising a main body having two opposed bevelled inner surfaces, a sleeve movable longitudinally of the body, said sleeve carrying a plurality of gripper fingers adapted to engage the bevelled surfaces of said body in gripping the umbrella rod, spring means normally supporting the gripper fingers in position supporting the umbrella in closed position, means on said body for coupling umbrella rib supporting rods in connection therewith, said rod having' a stop adjacent the upper end thereof, and yieldable means engaging said stop in forcing the body longitudinally of the rod to move the gripper fingers into engagement with the rod by the other bevelled surface of said body in supporting the umbrella in open position.

2. A device for retaining an umbrella in open and closed positions, said device comprising a tubular-unit mounted for sliding movement longitudinally of the umbrella rod, said unit comprising a main body having two opposed bevelled inner surfaces, a sleeve movable longitudinally of the body, said sleeve carrying a plurality of gripper fingers adapted to enga-ge the bevelled surfaces of said body in gripping the umbrella rod, spring means normally supporting the gripper fingers in position supporting the umbrella in closed position, means on said body for coupling umbrella rib supporting rods in connection therewith, said rod having a stop adjacent the upper end thereof, yieldable means engaging said stop in forcing the body longitudinally of the rod to move the gripper fingers into engagement with the rod by the other bevelled surface of said body in supporting the umbrella in open position, and said body having an annular enlarged finger grip portion.

3. A device for retaining an umbrella in open and closed positions, said device comprising a tubular unit mounted for sliding movement longitudinallyl of the umbrella rod, said unit comprising a main body having two opposed bevelled inner surfaces, a sleeve movable longitudinally of the body, said sleeve carrying a plurality of gripper fingers adapted to engage the bevelled surfaces of said body in gripping the umbrella rod, spring means normally supporting the gripper fingers in position supporting the umbrella in closed position, means on said body for coupling umbrella. rib supporting rods in connection therewith, said rod having a stop adjacent the upper end thereof, yieldable means engaging ysaid stop in forcing the body longitudinally of 4 the rod to move the gripper fingers into engagement with the rod by the other bevelled surface of said body in supporting the umbrella in open position, said body having an annular enlarged finger grip portion, and said sleeve having an annular enlarged nger grip portion.

4. A device for retaining an umbrella in open and closed positions, said device comprising a tubular unit mounted for sliding movement longitudinally of the umbrella rod, said unit comprising a main body having two opposed bevelled inner surfaces, a sleeve movable longitudinally of the body, said sleeve carrying a plurality of gripper fingers adapted to engage the bevelled surfaces of said body in gripping the umbrella rod, spring means normally supporting the gripper fingers in position supporting the umbrella in closed position, means on said body for coupling umbrella rib supporting rods in connection therewith, said rod having a stop adjacent the upper end thereof, yieldable means engaging said stop in forcing the body longitudinally of the rod to move the gripper ngers into engagement with the rod by the other bevelled surface of said body in supporting the umbrella in open position, and said second named means including an annular collar portion and a tube arranged in and movable longitudinally of said collar portion.

5. A device of the character described comprising a tubular unit adapted for movement longitudinally of an elongated rod, said unit comprising a main body portion having oppositely arranged bevelled walls in a common bore thereof, a member having a plurality of spring gripper ngersarranged in said bore for movement into engagement with both of said bevelled surfaces in gripping the rod to hold the unit against movement on said rod, said member including a spring actuated sleeve at one end of the body for moving the gripper fingers into engagement with one of the bevelled surfaces, a stop on said rod, and yieldable means at the other end of said body adapted to engage said stop in moving the other bevelled surface of said body into engagement with the gripper fingers in retaining the unit against movement on said rod.

6. A device adapted for clamping engagement in different positions longitudinally of an elongated rod, said device comprising atubular body, the bore of said body having an enlarged chamber defined by intercommunicating oppositely directed bevelled surfaces, means supporting a plurality of circumferentially spaced yieldable grippers in said chamber to operatively engage each of said bevelled surfaces, tensional means at one end of the body engaging said first named means to support the grippers in engagement with one of said bevelled surfaces, tensional means at the other end of said body for supporting the other bevelled surface of the body in engagement with said grippers, a stop member on the first named rod, and said last named means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced umbrella rib supporting rods and a coil spring actuated housing adapted to engage said stop member in applying yielding pressure to the second named end of said body.

7. A device adapted for clamping engagement in different positions longitudinally of an elongated rod, said device comprising a tubular body. the bore of said body having an enlarged cham- Iper defined by intercommunicating oppositely directed bevelled surfaces, means supporting a plurality of circumferentially spaced yieldable grippers in said chamber to operatively engage each 5 of said bevelled surfacestensional means at one end of the body engaging said rst named means to support the grippers in engagement with one of said bevelled surfaces, tensional means at the other end of said body for supporting the other bevelled surface of the body in engagement with said grippers, a stop member on the rst named rod, and said last named means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced umbrella rib supporting rods a coil spring actuated housing adapted to engage said stop member in applying yielding pressure to the second named end of said body, and said body having a circumferentially enlarged finger grip portion.

HERBERT HACKEN.

LOUIS J. LEVIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,644,579 Giszczynski Oct. 4, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS 10 Number Country Date 39,967 Austria Dec. 10, 1909 

